UN Environment

What is UN Environment?

Founded in 1972, the United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) is the voice for the environment within the UN system. UN Environment is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda. Its mandate and the 2012 Rio+20 Outcome Document direct UN Environment to ‘promote the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the UN system and to serve as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.’

‘Environment for development’

To set its work, UN Environment weighs the most pressing global environmental challenges against the priorities of regions and those emanating from multilateral environmental agreements. For the 2014-2017 period the focus areas for the organization are: climate change; disasters and conflicts; ecosystem management; environmental governance; chemicals and waste; resource efficiency; and environment under review.

UN Environment Brussels Office

Established in April 2001, UN Environment’s Brussels office, works to promote and facilitate partnership-building and resource mobilization between UN Environment and EU institutions and key EU stakeholders in view to implement the environmental dimension of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda globally and in the EU.

Partnership with EU institutions

UN Environment has a strong partnership with the EU institutions focused on policy dialogue and programmatic cooperation. In 2004 it signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the European Commission, and a joint statement in 2011. In 2014 UN Environment and the European Commission have signed a renewed MoU complemented by an Annex in December 2015 setting out in more detail the areas of collaboration.

UN Environment works closely with the European Parliament and the European Economic and Social Committee and has memorandum of understandings with the Committee of the Regions, the Joint Research Centre, and the European Environmental Agency.

Marine litter: Vital graphics

Every year, the sum of humanity’s knowledge increases exponentially. And as we learn more, we also learn there is much we still don’t know. Plastic litter in our oceans is one area where we need to learn more, and we need to learn it quickly. That’s one of the main messages in Marine Litter Vital Graphics. Another important message is that we already know enough to take action.

Radiation: Effects and sources

This publication is based on the major scientific reports of the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) published in the last 25 years and aims to expand public knowledge on levels of exposure to ionizing radiation and possible associated effects. This publication does not set, or even recommend, radiation safety standards, rather, it provides information on basic science related to radiation (origin, quantities and units), on radiation effects (on humans and the environment) and on radiation sources (natural and artificial). Helping the public understand what radiation is and how it affects life on this planet lies within the core mandate of UNEP.